Newcomers on tap for Galveston beer festival

One of the promoters of the Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival coming up this weekend in Galveston pointed out several new beers that will be available for sampling.

I’ve assembled them in the following slideshow, using images from the Brewmasters website:

Photo: By permission, Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival

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Massachusetts brewer Clown Shoes arrives in Texas with a reputation for provocative labels, such as the Tramp Stamp, its Belgian IPA. You can try it during the Brew HaHa tastings Saturday and Sunday.

Massachusetts brewer Clown Shoes arrives in Texas with a reputation for provocative labels, such as the Tramp Stamp, its Belgian IPA. You can try it during the Brew HaHa tastings Saturday and Sunday.

Photo: By permission, Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival

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Big news from Beaumont: Corey Nelson's "micro-nano-brewery" in the back of a feed store, will be represented at Brew HaHa by Maelstrom and Smokin' Hot Blonde.

Big news from Beaumont: Corey Nelson's "micro-nano-brewery" in the back of a feed store, will be represented at Brew HaHa by Maelstrom and Smokin' Hot Blonde.

Photo: By permission, Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival

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Conroe's Southern Star Brewing Co. each year takes a winning recipe from an amateur homebrewer and brews it on a commercial scale. The next Pro-Am slated for release is a Cascadian Dark Ale. Get a preview at the Brew HaHa. less

Conroe's Southern Star Brewing Co. each year takes a winning recipe from an amateur homebrewer and brews it on a commercial scale. The next Pro-Am slated for release is a Cascadian Dark Ale. Get a preview at ... more

Photo: By permission, Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival

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Newcomer Austin Beerworks joined the can revolution when it began production earlier this year. The Austin brewery describes this 5.3 percent ABV, German-style schwarz -- one of an initial four-beer lineup -- this way: "If a stout and a pilsner had a lovechild, it would be Black Thunder. ... It’s dark, distinctive, and dry." less

Newcomer Austin Beerworks joined the can revolution when it began production earlier this year. The Austin brewery describes this 5.3 percent ABV, German-style schwarz -- one of an initial four-beer lineup -- ... more

Photo: By permission, Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival

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Karbach Brewing Co. is set to debut Thursday in its hometown of Houston and over the weekend brewmaster/co-founder Eric Warner, of Flying Dog fame, will be in Galveston to participate in the "Brew Brain Seminars" series during the Brew HaHa tastings. Hopadillo IPA will be available for sampling. less

Karbach Brewing Co. is set to debut Thursday in its hometown of Houston and over the weekend brewmaster/co-founder Eric Warner, of Flying Dog fame, will be in Galveston to participate in the "Brew Brain ... more

Photo: By permission, Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival

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Another fine new beer from Karbach, Weisse Versa Wheat combines the best attributes of a Belgian-style wit and a German hefeweizen.

Another fine new beer from Karbach, Weisse Versa Wheat combines the best attributes of a Belgian-style wit and a German hefeweizen.

Photo: By permission, Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival

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Clown Shoes promotes its black IPA, Hoppy Feet, this way: "Grapefruit and Pine are balanced on the nose and on the palate by a nutty, dark chocolate, roasted backbone."

Clown Shoes promotes its black IPA, Hoppy Feet, this way: "Grapefruit and Pine are balanced on the nose and on the palate by a nutty, dark chocolate, roasted backbone."

While not all of the beers are making their literal Texas debut — for example, Petrol Station has already had some Clown Shoes on tap and the two Karbach offerings are scheduled to go on sale in Houston this week — these are all recent arrivals. I would bet that for most of the 14,000-plus people expected to attend, this will be their first opportunity to sample the brews. I’m looking forward to trying several myself.

In Thursday’s print edition of 29-95, I will have a more complete roundup on the beer-themed events planned during the festival, as well as excerpts from my interview with Grant Wood, senior brewing manager for Boston Beer Co.

Wood will be among the participants in the “Brew Brains Seminars” series during the weekend festival. He’ll be busy promoting beer as a superior dinner companion to wine. He told me it’s past time for brewers to get this message out.

“Unfortunately,” he added, “our friends in the wine industry have a 30- to 35-year head start.”